I recently spent the day in the Glenview store helping on the phones - I should say helping check tire pressure. With the advent of tire pressure monitoring systems and self service gas, about the only time that tire pressure gets checked is with an oil service. With the longer intervals and peoples' tendency to go even longer than the longer recommended interval, as soon as it gets real cold, we have one person checking air pressure just about all day long. Almost every vehicle I checked pressure on was 3 or 6 months overdue for the oil service date on the sticker, so that means it was 9 to 12 months since the last oil change... YIKES.   Having grown up in the Chicago area and having been a "car guy" for 56 of my 71 years, I know that two things happen around here in the winter;   First, they salt the heck out of the roads, more accurately, they "Mag Chloride the heck out ... read more

Running your home’s furnace filter non-stop and cold temperatures can have drying effects that cause winter wheeze. If it’s overdue for a cabin air filter change, your car also could be a culprit. The cabin air filter cleans air going into a vehicle’s interior through the ventilation, heating and air-conditioning systems. It catches pollen, dust and other contaminants to ensure a healthier interior atmosphere. The cabin air filter is particularly important for individuals with allergies, asthma or other respiratory issues. Caveat: Not every vehicle employs a cabin air filter. Unsure? Consult your owner’s manual or ask your repair team at CARS! Help improve the air quality in your car with a cabin air filter checkup. Winter impact The cabin air filter works all year round, but its ... read more

There are a number of dashboard warning lights in your vehicle that can pop on at any minute. Everyone knows what the oil light and battery light are for, but a lot of others are puzzling and require pulling out the owners’ manual. To help make things a little more clear, we take time each month to look at the different lights and what they stand for. This month, we’re highlighting the symbol that indicates a clogged air filter. It means your car’s engine air filter needs to be replaced. It’s not an emergency, but it should be replaced as soon as possible because your car needs a clean air filter to operate properly. The air filter removes dirt and debris from the outside air before the air flows into the engine cylinders. A little dirt on the filter is OK, but leave it unchanged for too long, and the filter will become clogged, restricting the airflow into the engine and reducing engine performance. A clean air filter, on the other hand, can improve gas ... read more